House Bill 995

AN ACT TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SHALL DESIGN AND CAUSE TO BE CONSTRUCTED AND MAINTAINED AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES MEMORIAL TO HONOR THOSE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PERSONNEL WHO HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR OFFICIAL DUTIES AND THOSE WHO HAVE MADE A DRAMATIC IMPACT ON OR SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTION TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES IN MISSISSIPPI; TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT SHALL FORM, ESTABLISH AND/OR COLLABORATE WITH A PRIVATE FOUNDATION OR NONPROFIT CORPORATION TO MAINTAIN THE MEMORIAL IN PERPETUITY AND DETERMINE THE ELIGIBILITY OF THOSE PERSONS TO BE INCLUDED ON THE MEMORIAL; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) The State Department of Health, in cooperation with the Department of Archives and History and the Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management and subject to funds being made available, shall design and cause to be constructed and maintained on state-owned lands at some suitable and appropriate place in or near the City of Jackson, an Emergency Medical Services Memorial to honor those Emergency Medical Services personnel who have given their lives in the performance of their official duties and those who have made a dramatic impact on or substantial contribution to emergency medical services in Mississippi. The Department of Health shall consult with organizations and communities of interest relating to emergency medical services in designing the memorial, and the memorial shall be designed and constructed not later than July 1, 2025.

(2) The Department of Health shall form, and/or collaborate with a private foundation or nonprofit corporation to maintain the memorial in perpetuity and determine the eligibility of those persons to be included on the memorial. The foundation or nonprofit corporation shall solicit and receive funds from public and private sources and donations to carry out its responsibilities under this section.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2024.